


Let's Grow Old Together

by noodlecatposts



Series: ACOTAR Tumblr Requests [7]
Category: A Court of Thorns and Roses Series - Sarah J. Maas
Genre: F/M, Marriage Proposal, Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-17
Updated: 2020-02-17
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:33:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22763272
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noodlecatposts/pseuds/noodlecatposts
Summary: Azriel was nervous. It wasn’t that Azriel was afraid to ask the question; he knew Elain would say yes, could feel it in his bones that this was the right move, the next step. He was just—nervous. This was a big move, and he wanted to get everything right.Tonight, Azriel was going to propose.
Relationships: Elain Archeron/Azriel
Series: ACOTAR Tumblr Requests [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612852
Comments: 4
Kudos: 32





	Let's Grow Old Together

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fic. I know I'm late, and Valentine's Day is over. BUT FLUFF.  
> Prompt: _“Let’s grow old together."_

Proposing on Valentine’s Day hadn’t been the plan. Azriel thought it was pretty cliché; although, Rhys positively _loved_ the idea, almost wanted to do the same. He’d threatened his brother with no small amount of violence not to steal his thunder. Tonight was Azriel’s one shot.

Elain owned a flower shop, and it was Valentine’s Day. His girlfriend was very, very busy during this time of the year; it felt as if Azriel hadn’t seen her in months. Although, it’d probably only been a week or so. Being a small business owner was no easy task, but Azriel thought she took it all in stride. He only wished he could do more for her. Yet, Azriel didn’t know very much about flowers.

Azriel was nervous. It wasn’t that Azriel was afraid to ask the question; he knew Elain would say yes, could feel it in his bones that this was the right move, the next step. He was just—nervous. This was a big move, and he wanted to get everything right.

Tonight, Azriel was going to propose.

-

Azriel makes Elain dinner because he knows that she won’t want to go out and eat after the long day. He makes her favorite soup, a comfort food, and lays out chocolates on the kitchen counter for her. Azriel contemplated buying her flowers, but he had a feeling that she wouldn’t be delighted to see them.

When the lock turns in the door, the man has to focus on restarting his breathing. Color rises high on his cheeks, and Azriel feels like a teenager again, caught under the dazzling gaze of his middle school crush. Elain has always had a way of making the otherwise smooth man flustered, but Azriel still wishes he could keep it together long enough to enjoy the evening.

Both fortunately and unfortunately, Elain is too tired to notice how twitchy Azriel is. She sweeps into the kitchen and pecks his cheek with a chaste kiss. Azriel is quick to wrap his arms around her and hold her close. He doesn’t lessen his grip until Elain’s hands start to fall away, and when Azriel releases her, he can’t resist pressing a kiss to her lips.

“Hey, baby,” Elain says to him. Her smile is warm if tired. “How was your day?”

“Boring,” he tells her with a wry smile. It’s true. Azriel works in IT; things don’t get very wild there.

She laughs. “Lucky dog.”

The smell of the food hits her at last, and Elain’s smile grows wider. “My favorite.”

“Yeah,” Azriel shrugs, playing off the gesture. He doesn’t take compliments very well, and he knows Elain is about to shower him in thanks. “I figured you wouldn’t want to go out to eat.”

“I love you,” Elain sighs, brushing a hand down his back and making his skin break into goosebumps. It’s incredible, the way her affection still affects him. Azriel always expected these things to fade with time. They haven’t.

“I love you, too.” Azriel smiles too big for his face. “Go and get changed, and I’ll plate us some food.”

-

They curl up on the couch with their bowls of soup, and Elain pours them the wine that she picked up on the way home. Azriel never really cared for wine before dating Elain, but he’s developed a taste for it since then.

Elain is so quiet while they eat that Azriel starts to reconsider his decision to propose. On tonight of all nights. What a terrible idea. Proposing on Valentine’s day.

Then his girlfriend curls into his lap after they’ve finished eating, basking in his warmth and comfort. Azriel rubs soothing circles into her back, playing with her hair like he knows she likes. This is it; this is what Azriel wants for the rest of his life.

It seems like the right moment.

Azriel clears his throat to get Elain’s attention. His girlfriend blinks up at him, eyes soft with sleepiness, and he smiles at her gently, brushing the hair from her face.

“Baby,” he says, pressing a kiss to her forehead. She grins sleepily. “You falling asleep on me?”

Elain giggles when he kisses her again, this one to her neck. Her nose wrinkles and her brown eyes twinkle at him. “Maybe. What’s up?”

She knows him well. Azriel wiggles around to reach his back pocket. He hasn’t been able to part with the ring, not since he picked it up. He’s been too afraid to lose it; now he’s worried she’ll hate it.

“I have a question for you,” Azriel clears his throat again, but this time it’s to free the lump in his throat. The nerves and emotions. Elain is sitting with her back pressed into his front, so Azriel reaches around her, offering her the ring box.

Elain gasps, clearly startled.

“Will you marry me?” Azriel’s voice trembles. Elain’s hand shakes as she takes the box from him.

Elain turns around in his lap to face him, eyes lined with silver. She’s biting her lip to keep from crying as she cups his face with one hand. The other holds the ring—box left unopened.

“Let’s grow old together,” Elain breathes.

He laughs. “You haven’t even opened the box.”

“I don’t need to,” she tells him, kissing his lips. “I love it. I know it’s beautiful. I’m not marrying you for the ring.”

Azriel chokes on his feelings, “Yeah?”

“Yes,” she promises.

-

Elain does love the ring. A halo engagement ring. The style Art Deco with a dainty, silver band. But she loves the man she’s marrying more.


End file.
